Football fans across America continue to tune in to NFL games, resulting in the most-watched conference championship Sunday in 30 years. An average of 53.7 million viewers watched NFL games last weekend, the most for an NFL conference championship Sunday since January 1982 (game-by-game comparison below).

The New York Giants-San Francisco 49ers NFC Championship Game on FOX drew 57.6 million viewers to rank as the third most-watched conference championship game ever (chart below).

The Baltimore Ravens-New England Patriots AFC Championship Game on CBS drew 48.7 million viewers. The conference championship games are television’s two most-watched shows since Super Bowl XLV.

Click over the jump for three press releases.

MOST-WATCHED CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY IN 30 YEARS

AVERAGE OF 53.7 MILLION VIEWERS WATCHED EACH GAME

GIANTS-49ERS THIRD MOST-WATCHED CONF. CHAMPIONSHIP EVER

RECORD FIVE 2011 PLAYOFF GAMES TOP 35 MILLION VIEWERS

Football fans across America continue to tune in to NFL games, resulting in the most-watched conference championship Sunday in 30 years. An average of 53.7 million viewers watched NFL games last weekend, the most for an NFL conference championship Sunday since January 1982 (game-by-game comparison below).

The New York Giants-San Francisco 49ers NFC Championship Game on FOX drew 57.6 million viewers to rank as the third most-watched conference championship game ever (chart below).

The Baltimore Ravens-New England Patriots AFC Championship Game on CBS drew 48.7 million viewers. The conference championship games are television’s two most-watched shows since Super Bowl XLV.

In addition, a record five 2011 playoff games averaged at least 35 million viewers – up from four in 2010.

Fast National Rating is Highest for Early AFC Championship Game in 17 Years with 27.4/48

CBS Sports’ coverage of the 2012 AFC CHAMPIONSHIP game featuring the New England Patriots defeating the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, Jan. 22 (3:07-6:16 PM, ET) averaged 48.7 million viewers (Persons 2+), which is the highest viewer average for the early AFC Championship game in 30 years (1/10/1982; 51.6 million viewers; San Diego-Cincinnati: NBC).

The 48.7 million viewers for the 2012 AFC Championship game also was the second-highest viewer average (behind last year’s 54.9 million for New York Jets-Pittsburgh) for the AFC Championship game in 30 years (1/10/1982; 51.6 million viewers; San Diego-Cincinnati; NBC).

The AFC CHAMPIONSHIP game earned a fast-national live + same-day average household rating/share of 27.4/48, which is the highest rating for an early AFC Championship game in 17 years (1/15/1995; 28.3/58; San Diego-Pittsburgh; NBC)

The Network’s coverage in the comparable early window in 2010 earned a 26.3/47 (New York Jets-Indianapolis) and last year earned a 28.3/43 (New York Jets-Pittsburgh) in the late window.

The AFC CHAMPIONSHIP game rating peaked at a 31.2/52 with an average of 56.8 million viewers from 5:30-6:00 PM, ET.

New York – Yesterday’s epic 2012 NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME on FOX between the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers delivered an extraordinary 30.6/44 fast-national rating/share according to figures released by Nielsen Media Research. The overtime battle scored an average audience of 57.6 million viewers to rank as the third most-watched Conference Championship Game ever, after the 1982 Cowboys-49ers NFC Championship Game (68.7 million viewers on CBS) and 2010’s overtime Vikings-Saints NFC Championship (57.9 million viewers on FOX).

The rating for Sunday’s battle for the NFC crown ties with 2010’s game (Vikings/Saints – 30.6/45) as the highest-rated NFC Championship Game since 1996 (Packers/Cowboys – 33.3/58).

Last night’s fast-national rating of 30.6/44 is a +9% gain over last year’s 28.1/50 for Packers/Bears in the early window and +8% better than last year’s 28.3/43 for Jets/Steelers in the late window on CBS. Ratings climbed to extraordinary levels as the game progressed toward overtime, peaking at an astounding 36.9/52 rating and 69.0 million viewers from 10:00 – 10:30 PM ET.

The 2012 NFC Playoffs on FOX averaged a 23.9/43 (42.6 million viewers) making it the network’s most-watched NFL Playoffs ever. The average for FOX Sports’ coverage of the NFC’s Wild Card, Divisional and Conference Championship rounds is up +11% over last year’s 21.6/39 (38.7 million) and is FOX’s highest-rated NFL Playoffs since 1996’s 25.1/48 (37.2 million). The complete 2011-12 NFL season on FOX averaged over 23.2 million viewers for the regular season and playoffs combined, making it FOX’s most-watched NFL season ever, excluding Super Bowls.

San Francisco posted a 47.4/77, the second highest-rated NFL on FOX postseason game ever in the City by the Bay. New York notched a 41.8/58, FOX’s best NFL rating ever in the Big Apple for a non-Super Bowl game. After the Patriots punched their ticket to Super Bowl XLVI earlier in the evening, Boston tuned-in to find out who New England’s opponent would be, posting a 35.1/49, Boston’s highest-rating NFL on FOX non- Super Bowl playoff game. Other metered markets of note include Los Angeles (28.4/49) and Detroit (30.2/42).